"That brat Fang Huo isn't qualified to serve as First Mate of the world's strongest pirate crew!"
"Let me take the number-two spot!"
Wang Zhi considered himself, the "Pirate Patriarch," far superior to the likes of the "Great Demon Venerable," "Whitebeard," "Golden Lion," or "Iron Balloon."
With his status and fame, becoming First Mate of the Rocks Pirates would be an honor for Rocks himself.
He hoped Rocks would be sensible and kick Fang Huo aside.
That kid Fang Huo ought to be tactful enough to hand over the position himself.
Gazing at the flying battleship in the sky, Wang Zhi felt that being Rocks's First Mate might not be a disgrace after all.
Yet, given the chance, he would gladly cooperate with the World Government to kill Rocks.
He had never been one to be content following at another's heels.
Most importantly, once Rocks was dead, he could inherit everything the Rocks Pirates possessed.
Perhaps he, too, could become Captain of the world's strongest pirate crew.
As the flying warship drew nearer, Wang Zhi unleashed his aura without restraint.
He was both proclaiming sovereignty and proving his strength—showing that even if he couldn't beat Rocks, he still had the power to be the crew's second-in-command.
Aboard the Saber of Xebec.
"Worororo! Showing off, are we?"
Rocks sensed the Conqueror's Haki of this so-called "Pirate Patriarch."
But the will behind his Haoshoku couldn't even match Newgate's, let alone Shiki's or Linlin's.
A guy who had merely ruled the New World for a few years by setting out early would be surpassed sooner or later.
"Rocks!! You can't make a move!!"
"He's our prey!"
"Silver Axe" Fierce, "Golden Lion" Shiki, and the others all shouted.
They all saw "Pirate Patriarch" Wang Zhi as a stepping stone to fame.
Beat Wang Zhi, and their reputations would soar instantly!
Right now, the "Pirate Patriarch" Wang Zhi, who dominated one stretch of the sea, carried a bounty of 757 million Berries.
For this era, that bounty was sky-high!
"My bounty's lower than yours! I'll go first!"
"Silver Axe" Fierce stated the obvious with a straight face.
In short: I'm weak, so I'm right.
Or should we start with the strongest?!
"Golden Lion" and "Whitebeard" were left speechless by "Silver Axe's" dead-serious logic.
Soon, the challenge order from weakest to strongest was set.
Streusen admitted he couldn't beat Wang Zhi, so Sunbell would start, with "Silver Axe" even behind Babel.
Sunbell likewise felt he couldn't defeat Wang Zhi, but the aspiring Fish-Man hero feared no fight.
On Paradise Island, Wang Zhi had wanted an earth-shaking clash with the wickedest pirate, Rocks, and then to join the Rocks Pirates.
Instead, a burly Fish-Man leapt from the flying battleship.
"Wang Zhi! 'Tidal Sea Hero' Sunbell challenges you!"
Sunbell shot down like a cannonball, straight at Wang Zhi—no wasted words!
"Bastard! Rocks, are you looking down on this Patriarch?"
"Sending just one underling!"
Wang Zhi felt deeply insulted; even if Rocks had dispatched high-ranking officers like Fang Huo or Newgate with bounties over 600 million, he wouldn't have been this furious.
But Rocks sent a mere Fish-Man with a bounty of just over 300 million—utter contempt for the "Pirate Patriarch."
With a gloomy face, Wang Zhi instantly coated his right fist in thick Armament Haki, his eyes as venomous as a viper's.
"Scram, small fry!"
Wang Zhi's Armament-coated fist collided violently with Sunbell's Sea-Hero trident.
"Strong brute! But not enough!"
Infuriated, Wang Zhi erupted with stronger Haki and smashed the young Sunbell away with one punch.
The next instant, an even larger Fish-Man thundered in.
"Sunbell, watch closely!"
"'Abyssal Titan' Babel is here to fight you!"
The ten-meter-tall Babel punched Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi barely blocked it, yet the ground for hundreds of meters shattered beneath him.
"Strong!"
That brute strength outdid even the Giant Race; Wang Zhi never imagined a Fish-Man with a bounty of 388 million could rattle him so much.
"Bahahaha! You don't even seem to match Newgate!"
"And you dare call yourself 'Pirate Patriarch'!"
Landing the blow, Babel grew cocky; he'd thought the famed Wang Zhi might be stronger than Vice-Captain Fang Huo or Newgate.
Turns out... not so much!
"Damn!"
"You've angered me!!"
Wang Zhi roared in fury, drool flying from his long tongue.
"Disgusting!"
"Fish-Man Karate: Drool-Shot Bullets!"
Power rippled over Babel's hands, turning the spit into bullets that shot straight at Wang Zhi.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wang Zhi failed to one-shot Babel as he had Sunbell.
The sight left countless pirates on Paradise Island slack-jawed.
After all, within the Rocks Pirates, Babel ranked mid-to-low—almost bottom-tier.
Yet he could trade blows with "Pirate Patriarch" Wang Zhi?
Then how strong were the officers above Babel!
"Something's off!"
"According to intel, 'Whitebeard,' 'Golden Lion,' 'Silver Axe,' and 'Iron Balloon'—all those officers were defeated by Rocks himself."
"Why isn't Rocks making a move now!"
Among the onlookers, "Black Flag" Black felt a twinge of unease.
He looked up at the flying warship overhead.
How could he attract Rocks's attention and join the Rocks Pirates?
"Jihahaha!! This Wang Zhi doesn't look like much!"
Floating in the air, "Golden Lion" Shiki watched the clash and felt Wang Zhi's bounty was inflated.
Still, as a sovereign Captain, his threat to the World Government was greater, so a higher bounty made sense.
Besides, Wang Zhi had haunted the New World for years, letting his bounty climb.
"I've got a sixty percent chance of beating him!"
Newgate gripped the Supreme Grade Blade, Murakumogiri, in one hand, gazing down and gauging the gap between himself and Wang Zhi.
After sparring repeatedly with Rocks, the strongest pirate, his own strength had soared.
Now he even had the confidence to defeat Fang Huo.
Lately, Fang Huo had poured his energy into Devil Fruit abilities, and his frail physique had hindered his growth.
Rocks had teased him more than once about Fang Huo's weakling body.
But as the crew's Chief Strategist and Prophet, a bit less power was fine.
From now on, they would protect Fang Huo!
Right then, Fang Huo, riding the Seven-Star Sword, flew through the air, hovering stylishly as he surveyed the scene below.
He looked for any familiar faces to recruit into the Rocks Pirates.
At the same time, he searched for the Warp-Warp Fruit user "Silver Axe" had mentioned.
Soon, he spotted a black-clad figure standing unusually straight.
The man seemed out of place among the pirates, his stance almost Marine-like.